Prologue

It has been three weeks since Anastasia's Coronation and since then she had been busy with documents she needs to sign from the school and attending other Crown Princess duties.

As the Crown Princess's cousin it's obvious that Ignis was busy too. Where Anastasia was is where he was also, he didn't really have a choice considering he was threatened by his own Father.

Denovan wasn't different because as Anastasia's bodyguard, he was needed to be by her side at all times so how her day was was the same as his.

Even though Ivan wasn't really part of the trio, it was the time of the month for the Magic Committee where they lock themselves up in libraries or Magic Towers to research about magic for eight consecutive weeks. As for Callista? She was busy getting in trouble at the dorms just like now.

"Neo!" Emily shouted after her running familiar who had a shoe in his mouth from one of the girls in the dormitory. Callista followed them but was slower than Emily who had a higher stamina than she expected.

They had been running around the Dormitory for five minutes straight just to catch that little fox and because the dormitory has rules of its own, Freya was following them at the same pace.

"Callista! Emily! No running in the hallway!" she shouted and slapped a warning notice in Callista's face who's legs had given out on her leaving Emily to catch Neo on her own with Freya on the run.

Callista leaned on the wall to catch her breath as she laughed without humor, she really didn't like this but nowadays she loved pissing off Freya than Ivan.

Just remembering Freya's angry face was already making her day. She suddenly choked on her own saliva seeing the Head Madam, Sapphire, at the end of the corridor where Callista was near. The girls who was about to bring water to her stood on their spot and began closing the door when they saw her.

Callista stood there without moving as Emily and Freya run passed them but stopped noticing Sapphire. "All three of you to the office!" Sapphire's voice roared that made them flinch.

****

In the end, Sapphire scolded all three of them 15 minutes straight. The two was locked in the Dormitory as punishment while Callista was kicked out for 12 hours as punishment and was not allowed to go back inside unless the 12 hours was finished.

She felt like her punishment was more like a punishment than the other two. Was Sapphire being biased or something? Why was she kicked out when she didn't do anything wrong?

Callista was sitting on a bench by herself as she yawned when a pair of shoes stopped in front of her.

"Are you Lady Callista Alberts?" she curiously looked up to see a man with maroon hair and a pair of gold glasses "Yes? What can I help you with?" she asked and tilted her head as she studied the handsome man's face

"I'm Darren Blanche and I'm His Majesty's secretary. I was ordered to bring you to the Imperial Palace today" he politely said "All of a sudden?" she asked in surprise so he nodded "I see. Then please take me there" she smiled as she stood up.

****

They rode a carriage towards the Imperial Palace and their journey was silent with either of them talking to each other until they were walking at the Palace hallway.

"Excuse me, Mr. Darren?" she hesitantly called "Please just call me Darren, Young Miss" he said and she internally cringed at the 'Young Miss' but she forced a smile "Okay then. Darren, do you perhaps have any idea why the Emperor would call me?" she asked "About that.." Darren hesitated and wouldn't want to scare the little girl.

Darren honestly has a good first impression towards Callista. He could tell at first glance that she was obedient and innocent. This was actually his second time meeting her, the first time was at the Coronation.

Allister: "What other things have you been hiding from me?! Anastasia, I can't believe you weren't planning to tell me anything if I didn't order Darren to investigate about what happened!"

Anastasia: "Father, I'm really sorry. I thought it wasn't a good time"

Ignis: "She's right, Uncle"

Allister: "And your teaming up now? Brother, scold your son! He was so obedient when he was a child but look at him now! Look at him!"

Alexander: "Lower down your voice, Allister"

The argument inside made her jump and she was already contemplating wether to continue or not but it was too late as the doors was already getting pushed open.

She was greeted by Allister's piercing gaze from the other side of the room so she forced herself to smile as she walked forward.

"You called for me?" she asked and he was beyond furious "I've investigated what happened at my daughter's coronation and I want to know one thing" he took a deep breath to calm himself "Why the fuck no one told me that your a protector?" his voice echoed in the restored throne room.

After the incident at the Coronation night, Anastasia told the others about her identity and they mutually came to an agreement to not tell others about it yet. Who would've thought Allister would find it suspicious and commanded an investigation regarding this.

At first, he only ordered to get rid of the mana where the fight occurred and his men sensed an unfamiliar magic that caused him to command an investigation.

Anastasia had told him that Ignis and Ivan was the one who got rid of the Undertakers but there were no traces of rain or thunderstorm at the scene so it was impossible that Ivan used magic.

And Ignis, he was a rare magic holder and so his magic was unique and could be compared to many things but can still be differentiated and that was not found at the scene. So, who was exactly the one who got rid of the Undertakers?

After a thorough investigation, they had a clear answer; it was Callista.

"I told them to keep it a secret. I didn't want getting attention" she smoothly lied without even blinking "Do you think of me as a fool?" he growled as she remained staring at him

"Geez, what are you even getting so worked up for? You don't see Ana causing a scene when you didn't tell her about the prophecy" a man said from a corner making Allister flinch

"You, shut up! I'm also not done with you, Brazen! You already knew the fact she was a protector and yet you still kept your mouth shut!" Brazen only rolled his eyes, not even taking him seriously while Hoshi remained indifferent by his side

"He has a point though" Alexander commented "Brother!" Alister stared at him in disbelief as Alexander didn't look at him at all.

Why were they making him look unreasonable? He wasn't! A Protector is something you shouldn't joke about. If they were a monster then they would be a catastrophe class level monster. But why does he feel like they were looking at him as if he was being dramatic?!

"I won't change my mind!" he roared in gritted teeth and pointed at Callista "I'm still not forgiving you for lying!" he said as if a child getting bullied.

He snapped his fingers and motioned to Darren "I want to make a verdict" he ordered making them gasp "Father, I told you it wasn't her fault! We were the ones who decided to hide it from you! Aren't you being too much?" Anastasia exclaimed seeing that the situation was getting out of hand

"That's not the only reason why I'm making a verdict, Ana" Allister glared "She did not only nearly demolished the Imperial Palace but she attacked a noble without my orders. Broke the Empire's properties that needed restoring more than three times and even provoked Princess Sofia. Don't you even dare deny this, I had already talked this through with Ignis" he listed down the things Callista had done referring to the recent incidents

"Ignis?!" Anastasia turned to her cousin in disbelief as the latter didn't even look back at her.

Anyone who saw this would think their family was really alike, Anastasia had the same reaction with Allister when the father and son spoke.

Allister sighed and turned to the man beside him "Headmaster, you know Lady Callista more than we do. What do you think is the suitable punishment for her?" he asked the man who had been silently smirking provokingly at Callista.

Seeing that the attention was at him, he cleared his throat, straightened his back, and made a serious face and just like that he looks like a Headmaster.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Although I agree that Callista had done many things that wouldn't look good at the Empire's law but she is still a child. I think we should help her reflect on her wrong doings" it would look like Regan was really concerned about her well being but Callista knew better.

Listening to his words and acting was only making her furious as he took glances at her from time to time like he wanted to see her expression and she didn't even bother hiding her anger as she glared at him.

"And so, we should take her to the monastery to reflect on herself by worshipping the Goddess and learning from the Nuns and Priests from the Holy Church" and she wanted to throw him there and then.

Anastasia was also surprised to hear this. The monastery wasn't really a good place and as the future Empress she needed to go there every now and then considering that the Late Empress was once part of them.

She didn't really like the place to the point she threw a tantrum that she doesn't even do when her Father wanted to take her there one day. Because of that, Allister never took her there again for fear she would cry.

She worriedly looked at Callista to see her motionless as if she had already given up on life and was willing to die right now.

"As expected from the Headmaster" Allister praised him with a smile that nearly made Callista vomit blood as she glared at Regan's triumph smile.

She swears she would kill him!

"Then, it's decided. You'll be staying at the monastery"

Callista felt like she was just splashed by extremely cold water after hearing the Emperor's verdict. Regan's annoying smirk wasn't helping at all. She was the one who saved the people from the attack so why was she the one getting punished?!

And then, she fainted from extreme anger.